Three's A Crowd
by Jewelshoes
Summary: A certain Rory Williams is working at the Royal Hope Hospital at the time of its trip to the Moon. What would happen if Rory and Martha join the Doctor that day, how would the rest of the year pan out? AU Series 3 rewrite.
1. Smith, Jones and Williams

**Although I really do like Rory and Amy as a couple, I've read numerous Martha and Rory fics and they have really caught my eye, so I decided to write my own. AU Rory is a nurse at the Royal Hope Hospital and ends up travelling with Martha and the Doctor. If enough people like this chapter then I will be going on to rewrite the whole of series three and some extras with Rory as a companion as well as Martha. **

"My mate, Ben," he had seem so certain when he said that, "my mate, Ben," she hadn't the heart to call psych. If he wanted to believe it, well he wasn't hurting anyone. He had two pulses, or was that just her imagination? Her finger must have slipped. The soft murmur of her phone caused to forget the man for a moment, as she listened to her sister spill the usual river of problems.

"That's our inheritance she's spending, on fake tan-" Martha nodded absentminded, watching the rain drops chase each other over the pane. A young man hovered in the doorway, an empty mug dangling in fingers. She motioned for him to come in; instead he just stayed, looking straight past her.

His eyes fixed on the window he let out a hushed gasp, "the rain, look at the rain,"

She rolled her eyes in exasperation, running her fingers along the sideboard "we live in England, of course it's going to rain," she told him with a mocking laugh.

"No," Tish answered her, unaware of the man's presence, "no. Martha the rain is going up. Martha?! Oh my god MARTHA?!" Tish's cry was manic as the call disconnected and under a thunder bolt hospital disappeared. Around her pedestrians began to weave past, their faces ashen and in shock, "my sister, oh my god, my sister's in there," she murmured, watching smoke drift from the crater in disbelief.

Crumpled against the wall Martha was in awe of the silence that had spread across the building, then as the lights flickered and the rain drew to a halt, like an orchestra they began. From every direction noise rose, their cries foetal and petrified. Beside her the young man clambered to his feet, out stretching a hand towards her. "Well I don't think we're in Kansa anymore Toto," his lips stretched into a forced smile, and she let out weak snort of laughter.

"It felt like an earthquake," she tried to state but it came out as a question, hanging between them in the air.

"It's dark outside, it was lunch time,"

"Well it can't be night," She pressed herself against the cool glass, turning back in swift twirl of surprise, "we're on the moon. We're on the bloody moon." He came and stood beside her, and gently their noses pushed against the pane in awe.

They were only beckoned away from window by the draw of the hysteria from outside the room. "All right now, everyone back to bed," together they composed themselves into professionals, "it'll all be okay, everyone just calm down,"

Side by side they began to walk the ward, escorting wandering patients back to bed with a gentle tug, until they came to a halt at the end. As Martha peered outside, the man stuck out a hand and shook hers with a smile, "sorry, I never asked your name, I'm Rory Williams,"

"Nice to meet you Rory, I'm Martha. Martha Jones. Now hold on, these windows aren't exactly air tight-"

Rory murmured in agreement, running his fingertips along the seals "if the air was going to get sucked out it would have happened,"

"Good points, brilliant in fact!" Behind them a man drew the curtain back with a flourish, "what was your name again?" he asked Martha, sauntering up to them and throwing open the window.

"Martha."

"And it was Jones, wasn't it? And what's your name?"

"Rory, Rory Williams,"

"Well then, Rory Williams, well then, Martha Jones," he flashed them a smile of anticipation "the question is, how are we still breathing?" without waiting for an answer he begun to amble down the ward, "you two coming or what?" he asked them, pausing for a moment until they were at his heels.

"Umm, just wondering, umm, where are we going exactly?" Rory stuttered, his breathing laboured as he struggled to keep up with the man's fast pacing.

"There must be a balcony on this floor, or a veranda? I want to know why, why we're still breathing and why, why they are keeping us alive,"

"They, who's-"

Martha interrupted Rory with a sudden thought, "there's a balcony by the patient's lounge, it's just round the corner,"

"Well then, what are we waiting for? Come on!" with a flourish he grasped Martha's hand in his and together they began to weave through the corridor, Rory stumbling behind them. They ran until they halted suddenly at the fastened doors, "fancy going out?" the man asked stepping outside.

Together they stood, the doors swinging behind them and the craters and dips of the moon spread out ahead.

"I've got a party tonight. It's my brother's twenty first," the words hung between them, the event now insignificant and trivial.

"You okay?" Rory slid his fingers between Martha's, clinging to each other as if to prevent the other from floating away into the vast black sky.

"Yeah," she slipped him a small smile and in return he gave her fingertips a tight squeeze.

The man gave her a concerned glance, "want to go back in?"

"No way. I mean, we could die any minute, but all the same, it's beautiful. How many people want to go to the moon? And here we are. What do you think happened?"

"What to do you think?"

"Extraterrestrial. It's got to be. I don't know, a few years ago that would have sounded mad, but these days?"

"There was that spaceship flying into Big Ben, that star at Christmas-"

"- and those ghosts, sorry cybermen and those daleks," Martha finished off, "My cousin, Adeola, she worked at Canary Wharf. She never came home,"

For a moment they averted their eyes, and Martha stared straight ahead, her words trembling, so quiet and yet so loud in the vast empty space.

"I'm sorry," Rory let the words slip from his lips; he wanted to say more but nothing seemed right.

"I was there, in the battle. My friend, she, she-" gently Martha cradled the man's hand in hers, linking the three together.

"I promise you, Mr. Smith, if we can travel to the moon, then we can travel back. There's got to be a way."

"It's not Smith, that's not my real name. I'm called the Doctor."

**Hope you enjoyed it, please leave a review and tell me what you think and whether you would like to read more.**


	2. Smith, Jones and Williams part 2

**Bonjour I'm back, thanks for the good feedback! Hope you enjoy this chapter, would just like to say most episodes will be split into 2-3 parts and there will be some extra adventures along the way. Now all that is left for me to say is I hope you have a very merry Christmas if I don't post anything before 25****th****.**

"-Just the Doctor, I'm just the Doctor," he glanced swiftly towards them, before breaking apart and wandering across the balcony.

Martha's face twisted in defiance, "well I'm not calling you that. As far as I'm concerned, you've got to earn that title,"

"Well," the Doctor grasped a pebble and hurled it through the air, "I'd better make a start then – aha force field!" he grinned as the pebbled collided with a concealed barrier,

"But if that's like a bubble sealing us in," Martha stretched her arms out, as if feeling along the invisible blockade, then she twirled round to face the hospital, "that means this is the only air we've got. What happens when it runs out? All those people, everyone inside what happens to them?" she traced the crowded windows with her fingertips, picturing everyone, petrified and desperate inside.

As she sketched the hospital in the air, the Doctor drew from Martha the number inside, "one thousand people." He repeated, and then he voiced Martha's concern, "Suffocating. A thousand people suffocating. But why? Why-"

Throughout their conversation Rory had remained silent, watching the sky in awe, "Doctor? I think they might have something to do with it," he hesitated, gesturing above, drawing the two apart from their conversation as three humongous space ships landed in front of the hospital. As they gazed they drew closer, leaning against the railings in silent horror as they watched creatures merge and begin marching towards the hospital.

"Judoon," the Doctor named them, pulling the other two back into the ward. "Come on!" he called behind as he sprinted through the maze. Following, Martha and Rory dodged patients and fellow staff, all now like in a state of terror.

Finally the Doctor crouched near a railing overlooking the reception, a dehydrated pot plant obscuring him from view. "Oh, look down there; you've got a little shop. I like a little shop," he gestured below, and much to Martha's distress ignoring cataloguing process,

"Little shops are kind of standard really –"Rory muttered behind him, as Martha interrupted them, motioning below in noticeable anguish.

"Never mind that, what the hell are Judoon?!"

"They're like police, international police for hire. More like interplanetary thugs really." He shrugged, pulling the leaves apart with his fingers and leaning his head against the railings.

"If they're police then, are we under arrest? Are we trespassing on the moon or something?" Martha pondered, and the Doctor twisted his head, facing her with an eager grin.

"No, but I like that! Good thinking! No, I wish it were that simple. They're making a catalogue. That means they're after something non human, which is very bad news for me," he muttered, retreated back into the cover of the plant.

"Why?" Martha shot him a look of confusion and he raised his eyes, confirming her thoughts, "oh, you're kidding me. Don't be ridiculous!" She glanced across at Rory to share her amazement with him, only to fall into a sulk spotting his absorption in the reception.

"What?!" Rory yelped as Martha elbowed him, dragging his gaze away from cataloguing process below, and nodded her head towards the Doctor.

"Rory, he's an alien," she emphasised the 'alien' in a hushed tone and the Doctor looked on amused.

"But that's impossible," Rory fleeted a glance up at the Doctor, "but he looks just like us!"

"He has two hearts," Martha mumbled quickly, as if embarrassed she hadn't mentioned it before.

"What?! And you didn't think to tell me?"

"I forgot… And I didn't think it was important. We are on the moon anyway!" her hands flew up in exasperation, but instantly she let them fall and shot Rory an apologetic smile, "sorry,"

"Right got that sorted have we?" The Doctor asked and without waiting for a respond, he jumped to his feet, leaving the other two still slumped behind the plant. "Come on then!"

"He's mad, isn't he?" Rory murmured pulling himself up

"Completely bonkers!" She grinned, grapping his hand and began to drag him along.

"Do you think it's safe though, trusting him? I mean come on Martha; we don't know anything about him. What if those things-"

"Judoon,"

"-Judoon, what if the Judoon are looking for him?"

"I don't know Rory, I don't know." She paused, reclining against a wall, her eyes closed for a moment as thought of their impossible situation overwhelmed her. "At the moment he's the only chance we have of getting home," Home. Together they turned to a window, looking out onto the dark sky. It seemed so far away.

"I'll get us home Martha. I promise," she nodded, not daring to question how. "Come on then," she drew her lips into a tight smile and began to run, "let's find the Doctor,"

They skidded to a stop outside the admin office, pausing to catch their breath; the Doctor poked his head out, questioning where they had got to. Martha answered him with a shrug, sauntering over to the computer where the Doctor was now scanning with his screwdriver. "What's that thing?" she pointed, confused as the Doctor wielded the screwdriver towards the pc.

"Sonic screwdriver," he muttered, frowning in concentration at notices streaming across the screen.

"Well, if you're not going to answer me properly,"

"No, really it is. It's a screwdriver, and it's sonic. Look," he turned to face her, beaming the blue towards the ceiling.

"What else do you have? A laser spanner? Radiation hammer?" Rory asked, peering doubtfully at the screwdriver.

Martha rolled her eyes, fixing her stare back on the computer, "Boys and their toys! What have you found then?"

"The Judoon must have locked it down. Judoon platoon upon the moon. Because I was just travelling past. I swear, I was just wandering. I wasn't looking for trouble, honestly, I wasn't, but I noticed these plasma coils around the hospital, and that lighting, that's a plasma coil. Been building up for two days now, so I checked in. I thought something was going on inside. It turns out the plasma coils were the Judoon up above" He ran his fingers through his hair, before jumping up and strolling purposely round the room.

"Plasma coils?" Rory mouthed across the Doctor to Martha; silently she shrugged, raising her eyes in mock puzzlement.

"So what were they looking for?" Martha turned to the Doctor, watching intently as he traced the room.

"Something that looks human, but isn't."

"So basically you," Rory stated and Martha nodded in tease.

"_Like _me," he turned to them in mock offence "but not me!"

"Haven't they got a photo or anything?"

"Well," the Doctor stroked his chin, kicking up his feet as he continued to stroll round the room "might be a shape-changer,"

"But why can't you just leave the Judoon to find it, whatever it is?" RORY

"If they declare the hospital guilt of harbouring a fugitive, they'll sentence it to execution,"

"All of us?"

"Oh yes," hhhh "if I can find this thing first. Oh!" jjjj "you see, they're thick! Judoon are thick! They wiped the records. Thickity, thick!"

"Well Mr. Stoker might know, shall I ask him?"

The Doctor nodded, scanning the walls, his sonic raised above his head as if wielding a wand, calling after her "ask for any patients admitted with unusual symptoms,"

With that Martha left the room, leaving the Doctor and Rory alone in an uncomfortable silence. "Where are you from?" Rory questioned, watching the Doctor stride across the room from wall to wall.

"Oh here and there,"

"What planet?"

"We're on the moon, the actually moon, and you're asking me where I come from?!"

"Well-"

Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by Martha, panting and panicking she rushed into the room, "I've found her!"

"You did what?"

"Found her, she-"Martha broke off as two men clad in leather appeared at corridor corner, "oh," her mouth dropped into a perfect circle, "they found me,"

Instantly the Doctor was at the door, seizing Martha's hand he began to run, and as they run Martha flung her arm back, clutching at Rory's fingertips and dragging him along after them.

**So the next chapter will be the end of episode 1, hope you liked it. Reviews make my day, and make me write faster. **


	3. Smith, Jones and Williams part 3

**Hello, hope you all had a lovely Christmas. Thanks for all the reviews; sorry I haven't been able to reply to them as I have been away and also been ill, so that wasn't fun. Hope you enjoy this; it's slightly longer than earlier ones. And I wish you a very happy new year.**

They reached the radiation room with seconds to spare; as the Doctor slammed the door shut a black clad slab threw its body against the wood. Martha let out a frightened gasp as a thud echoed across the room, and with a swift twist of the screwdriver the door became locked. The room was cluttered and the vast array of medical equipment gave Rory a feel of comfort. Leaning against a wall he watched in amusement as the Doctor grasped at Martha's pristine lab coat, roughly pushing her whilst directing orders. It all seemed so ridiculous, he was meant to be meeting an old school friend for lunch today, he wasn't meant to be on the moon. She was probably wondering where he was, feverishly darting her eyes between her watch and the clock. Coiling her auburn stands round her delicate fingers in annoyance and agitation.

He had been looking forward to it.

"Rory?!"

Abruptly Rory staggered out of his thoughts, glancing over to Martha who was staring at a row of buttons in frustration. "Rory, Rory what am I meant to do?" the words kept falling from her mouth, getting higher with every repeat until she was gaping in silence. Behind them the door began to splinter, each crackle of wood reminding them that time was running out. Running his gaze across the room Rory's eyes landed on a tattered manual, within seconds he was beside Martha, frantically tearing through its pages.

As the door fell flat and the Doctor screamed across to Martha, Rory glanced up from the manual, "it's yellow, it's the yellow one," he gestured aimlessly towards the control panel, watching Martha slam her fist against the button. He stared as the drone fell vertically down to the floor, facing the Doctor he asked, "What did you do?"

"Increased the radiation by five thousand percent. Killed him dead," he told them, his chest heaving as he stood momentous above the silent slab.

Cautiously Martha peered through the glass, glancing at the Doctor in confusion. "But isn't that going to kill you?" She asked nervously, in slight fear of the answer.

"Nah, it's only roentgen radiation. We used to play with roentgen bricks in the nursery. It's safe for you to come out." He told the pair, motioning for them to join him. Together they moved silently out of the glass case, watching in amusement as he began to hop energetically around the room, "I've absorbed it all. All I need to do is expel it. If I concentrate I can shake the radiation out of my body and into one spot. It's in my left shoe. Here we go, here we go. Easy does it. Out, out, out, out, out. Out, out. Ah, ah, ah, ah! It is, it is, it is, it is, it is hot. Hold on." In a swift motion he moved forward, grasped his shoe and threw it into a nearby bin.

Rory let out a muffled snicker and Martha looked over the Doctor in bewilderment, crossing her arms and cocking an eyebrow she stated, "You're completely mad, you are,"

"You're right," the Doctor nodded in agreement before wrenching off his other shoe, "I look daft with one shoe."

Martha let a giggle escape, as the Doctor stood beside her, flexing his toes and grinning. "Barefoot on the moon," he laughed, "it's great; you should join me," he nodded towards her and she shook her head, nudging his left foot gently with her brogue. "Oi!" the Doctor shot her a look of mock annoyance, before breaking into a smile.

Before them Rory was examining the slab, cautiously running his hands over its leather body. Breaking away from Martha the Doctor squatted down beside Rory, "they're called Slabs. Basic slave drones. Solid leather, all the way through,"

"But it's working for her, that woman, Miss Finnegan. It was just like a servant," Martha crouched alongside Rory, looking across to the Doctor in expectation, "she had a straw like some kind of vampire. She was drinking Mr Stoker's blood," 

"Funny time to take a snack. You'd think she'd be hiding. Unless." He leaped up and began to wander round the room, trying to understand the events "No. Yes, that's it. Wait a minute. Yes! Shape-changer. Internal shape-changer. She wasn't drinking blood, she was assimilating it. If she can assimilate Mister Stoker's blood, mimic the biology, she'll register as human. Therefore we've got to find her and show the Judoon. Come on!" He rushed towards the door, jogging impatiently as he waited for other two to get to their feet.

The corridor they enter is lined with the slumped bodies of patients and staff. A nurse is fumbling with an oxygen mask, she gasps in exhaustion as it falls from her fingers and lands in the lap of her patient. "Here, let me help," for a moment Rory stops running, crouching beside the nurse he fixes the mask effortless before scanning the area for another for the nurse.

"Here," Martha swooped down and grasping nearby cylinder. "You'll be home soon, don't worry," she promised, settling the nurse against the wall.

"How much oxygen is there?" Rory asked, as they pulled themselves up.

"Not enough for all these people, we're going to run out," she began to quicken her pace, trying to catch up with the Doctor. Her breaths long and rasp caused him to turn as she appeared behind him.

"What about you, how are you feeling? Are you all right?" She nodded, she was beside him now and as they slowed to walking her breathing shifted into its usual lull.

"What about you Rory?" she asked, turning to face the nurse as he jogged towards them.

"Oh me? I'm running on adrenaline!" He laughed, ignoring the growing tightness in his chest as he drew up beside them. "Where are we off to now then?"

The Doctor broke away from the two, placing a hand against his forehead he begun to pace, "Ah think, think, think! If I was a plasmavore surrounded by police, what would I do? Ah ha!" His eyes shot up towards the sign above Rory's head and for a moment the nurse stuttered and glanced around confused, seeing his perplexity the Doctor threw his hands up, gesturing towards the sign, "No, not you Rory. Ah she's almost as clever as me. Almost, mind you!" Then he shot forward, flinging the door open he paused glancing back towards the two. "Oh, I need time. Martha, Rory stay here, you've got to hold them up." Leaning forward he locked eye contact with Martha and involuntarily she stepped closer until they were almost touching. "Forgive me for this. It could save a thousand lives. It means nothing. Honestly, nothing," he reassured her, clutching her head in his hands he felt the soft strands curl around his fingertips and as the soft, milky scent overwhelmed him he stayed there a moment longer than necessary.

Then in an instant he was gone. Leaving the pair alone in the corridor. As a scarlet blush begun to creep over Martha's cheeks she lowered her eyes, scouring the threads of her shoes intensely. Rory watched her from the corner of his eye. She was pretty, strikingly pretty. She held a fresh, considerate look about her; unusual for most first years after so much time of straining to read textbooks in the early hours, and becoming their consultants underdog. He didn't know why he'd only just noticed her today.

Gradually the barking orders of the Judoon grew nearer and Martha raised her head as one pasted her. "Listen," she called, desperately after it, "I know who you're looking for. She's this woman. She calls herself Florence,"

As it considered her words the Judoon turned to face her, holding up a scanner a blue light shone against Martha's skin. "Human. Wait. Non-human traits suspected. Non-human element confirmed. Authorise full scan. What are you? What are you?"

As it moved the scanner closer to Martha's face Rory pulled her towards him, "it's not her, she's human, human as you or I, or wait maybe just me. Leave her alone," He began to shout frantically at the Judoon, "Please, she's human,"

"Do not interrupt Judoon. Crime 92.874. Punishment-" As the Judoon started to veer towards Rory, Martha brushed him off her, ushering him out of the crowd.

"He's not doing any harm, leave him alone, just get on and do the full scan thing, _please_" Slowly the Judoon twisted back to face her, lifting the scanner towards her forehead.

"Confirm human. Traces of facial contact with non-human. Continue the search." The Judoon started to move forward before one turned back to Martha, shoving a illegible booklet into her hand. "Compensation," it stated before marching forward.

"Oh well that's just great isn't it! Compensation from an alien, bet I won't be able to spend that in Top Shop," she laughed waving the booklet towards Rory. He murmured in amusement, but his face was pale and his breathing slurred. Her laughter stopped instantly and she wrapped her hand around his. "Thanks for that Rory, thank you for being there,"

"It was nothing," he muttered, eyeing the ground in interest until Martha's silence forced him to face her, "I thought they were going to hurt you, I thought they were going to think it was you,"

She nodded, shooting him a grateful smile. His fingers squeezed against hers and they stood together in the dimming light. It was odd to think they had only just met today and yet it felt like they'd known each other forever.

Suddenly the crash of the Judoon marching past jolted them back into reality. They needed to find the Doctor.

The words MRI scanner hung in bold above the door guiding them inside. Before them the Doctor lay, crumpled and pale against the machines.

"Confirmation," a Judoon barked as another run a blue light over the Doctor's body, "Deceased."

Deceased. The words hung in the air as they pushed forwards, darting between the leather clad Judoon. "Let me through. Let me see him," Martha leaned towards the Doctor, letting out a furious yelp as a Judoon grasped her arm, forcing her upright. "Let me go!" Martha struggled, twisting to face the old woman standing yards from the body, "it was her. She killed him. She did it. She murdered him!" She gestured frantically towards the woman, "Please you've got to do something!"

"Judoon have no authority over human crime," they stated in unison, before turning to retreat.

"But," Rory called after them as they begun to withdraw, "she's not human, she drinks blood! She drank his blood!" He shouted pointing to the body at his feet, "She drank the Doctor's blood!"

"Wait," Martha's eyes flickered between the Doctor and Miss Finnegan, and slowly she repeated Rory, "she drank the Doctor's blood. Give that to me," she murmured, grasping the scanner from the Judoons claws,

"Oh," Miss Finnegan leaned against the wall with a thin, amused smile, "I don't mind, scan all you like."

"Non-human," Martha beamed as the Judoon repeated their analysis, the words 'non-human' rippling through the group. "Confirm. Plasmavore, charged with the crime of murdering the child princess of Patrival Regency Nine."

"Oh, well," Miss Finnegan cackled, "she deserved it! Those pink cheeks and those blonde curls and that simpering voice. She was begging for the bite of a plasmavore," she elongated the final word with a hiss. "I'm proud of it!" she smiled, motioning towards a line of slabs surrounding her in a defence, "Have you met these? Slab, stop them!" In unison they moved forward, oblivious to the Judoon raising their fists and burning the slabs into cinders.

Then they turned to Miss Finnegan, "Verdict, guilty. Sentence, execution." They stated in a slow unity.

Miss Finnegan smiled, racing towards the screen she screech a cruel laugh as she force the plug into the MRI scanner. "Enjoy your victory, Judoon, because you're going to burn with me. Burn in hell!" She screamed as their fire shot through her body.

As she disappeared the Judoon turned away. Ignoring Martha's desperate calls for attention, "But what did she mean burn with me? The scanner shouldn't be doing that. She's done something. You can't just leave it, you can't just us! What's it going to do?"

"You can't just go!" Rory yelled as he watched them withdraw, "you've got to help us! This wasn't out fault!" 

"Rory," Martha glanced up from the Doctor's body, gesturing towards the machine in fear "that thing's going to explode. We're not going to make it!"

Crutching beside her, Rory leaned his ear over the Doctor's mouth, "the Doctor would know what to do, we've got to get him back," he looked up in expectation as Martha began to press against his chest, first on the left and then the right, her breathing becoming rasp and urgent. Desperately she begun gasping at the air, leaning towards the Doctor to give him her last breath.

"Martha," Rory caught her arm, "Martha you don't have to do this, please!"

"It's our last chance," the words fell almost silently from her lips and as the last breath left her she collapsed on the floor beside the Doctor.

"I've got you, it'll be okay," Rory caught her in his arms; laying her head against the lino he looked up as the Doctor begun to cough. "It's the scanner, she's done something to the scanner," His breathing ragged Rory stood up beside the Doctor, motioning towards the controls "it's the plug, that one; it's connected to the scanner,"

Hunched in pain the Doctor began to move towards it, fingering it he looked across at the MRI scanner and back to the controls. Clenching his teeth in anguish he wretched plug from the controls, pausing from a moment to watch as the scanner died back down into silence. Then he glanced over to Martha and Rory, walking over he helped Rory up before pulling Martha into his arms. Together they staggered though the corridor, stopping only at a window. They watched as rain began to fall, first a trickle then a river, running furiously over the pane. The Doctor looked across at Rory a smile, "it's raining, it's raining on the moon. We did it."

x

Later Martha and Rory sat in the back of an ambulance, swinging their feet in rhythm. "-And then it started raining, raining on the moon!" As Rory recounted the events back to her, she smiled.

"Sounds amazing,"

"It was. And we did it, we made it happen. You and I, we helped save them, all of them," he spread his arms out across the concrete, beaming.

"What are you going to do now?"

"Well I was meant to be meeting a friend for lunch so I better phone her," Rory told her, pulling himself up. "It was great to meet you,"

"Rory," he paused, turning back to face her, her legs swung to a stop and she looked up nervously, "I was wondering if you'd like to come to my brothers 21st with me. Not like as a date, or anything, my family can be a bit crazy, it would just be nice to have a friendly face," with the last few words she looked over at him expectantly.

"I'd like that,"

x

They stood under a street light, its dull orange glow giving them a grey appearance. Even from outside they could still hear shrill tonnes of the indoor row.

"I'm sorry," Martha gestured towards the pub, "they get like this, especially when there is alcohol involved,"

"Don't worry, everyone's family kinda like that, it's no big deal," he shrugged, peering into the darkness, "Martha, look. Look, it's him,"

Half hidden behind a dimly lit corner the Doctor curled his fingers in a small waves, turning away, as if expecting them to follow.

There, illuminated by single street light sat a police box. The Doctor rested against it, tossing his screwdriver into the air. "I just thought since you saved my life and I've got a brand new sonic screwdriver which needs road testing, you might both fancy a trip?"

"What into space?" Rory asked eyeing him in awe.

"Well-"

" But I can't." Martha interrupted him, "I've got exams. I've got things to do. I have to go into town first thing and pay the rent; I've got my family going mad."

"If it helps I can travel in time,"

"Come on now, that's going too far."

"I'll prove it," he told her, disappearing into the TARDIS and they watched it disappear and reappear in wondrous silence. As he opened the door, holding his tie in hand like a trophy, Martha suddenly remembered this morning. When that mad man, well the Doctor had run up to her in the street and whipped off his tie.

"Is that your space ship?" 

"It's called the Tardis. Time and Relative Dimension in Space." He told them, laying a hand on it affectionately.

"Your spaceship's made of wood? You travel in time and space in a wooden box?" Rory asked trying to be sceptical, but as the words fell from his lips he couldn't help being reminded of a certain little girl and her obsession with a wood box.

"Come on Rory," Martha grapped his hand pulling him into the box, unaware of his silence.

So she'd been telling the truth all along? But he didn't look anything like her Raggedy Man, not from the pictures, the endless drawings. He wanted to stop, figure it all out, ask the Doctor, ask Amy. But as they entered the TARDIS its interior caused him to gasp and nodded in agreement as Martha said amazed " But it's bigger on the inside, that's impossible!"

**Hope you enjoyed this, will be starting the Shakespeare Code next chapter. Hope this last bit answered your question, about Rory and Amy, mystery guest reviewer. Please review, you'll make my day and I'll be forever grateful!**


	4. The Shakespeare Code part 1

**Hello! Sorry I haven't written for a while, been very busy with revising for mocks and just life in general. Hope you are all okay and enjoy this chapter.**

"Well, make yourself at home," spreading out his palms the Doctor gestured flamboyantly to a precarious, leather stool in the corner of the control room. "Only one trip mind, just one trip to say thank you," he murmured to himself as he began to fiddle, anxiously with numerous controls. Martha turned slightly as he spoke, catching Rory's attention with a quick raise of her eyebrow. Perching on the stool he laughed breathlessly, watching as Martha started circling the controls in interest.

"Can you fly this thing then?"

The Doctor looked up, affronted, "of course!"

"On your own? No crew or anything?"

"I used to have a friend, she gave me a hand. She's gone now." He added, ending the conservation with a powerful pull of a lever. "So where do you want to go?"

Martha glanced across to Rory and he shrugged, happy to let her choose, "Past. I think the past would be good."

"Okay then," the machine began to stir, murmuring and trembling until it was in full flight. They stood back, watching in amusement and awe as the Doctor danced around the controls, running his fingers amongst the buttons.

As suddenly as it started it was over, a faint bump confirmed their landing and the Doctor threw open the doors. Excited, Martha grapped Rory's hand, pulling him towards the outstretched doors, "where are we?" she asked peering outside.

"Elizabethan England, well London, just south of the Thames," the Doctor smiled proudly from outside, as if Elizabethan England was his creation.

"Can we go out in this?" Rory gestured questioningly at his attire, "won't people stare?"

"Yes, of course! Well that's if you don't want to change. You can if you want." The Doctor shrugged, and both men turned to Martha who was looking up at the area in fascination.

"May as well. This being a once in a lifetime trip and all," She ducked back into the TARDIS and began to stride forwards before suddenly she glanced back, "forgot to ask, where's the wardrobe?"

After the Doctor had given them directions, retold them and finally delivered them himself to the wardrobe, he left them alone, miniaturised by the twisting floors of clothing.

Delving into the first bundle of outfits, Martha fished out a bright, black and white striped shift dress. Throwing it over her shirt and twisting her hair into a slumped bun she turned to face Rory with a flourish. "Ta da! What to do you think? Pretty sure this will go down just fine in the 1600s!" fingering the hem she twirled, humming a muddled version of Suspicious Minds.

Rory began to search frantically in another rack, hiding his flush with a loud, braying laugh. Grapping a garish pair of flared trousers he faced her with a twirl. "I can't believe people actually used to wear these things." He sniggered, kicking his heels.

"I don't know, they're quite sexy," Martha winked, rummaging in her pile before pulling a metallic, turquoise shell-suit over herself. "But just not quite as sexy as these!" Laughing she began to climb up to the other levels. Running her fingers over the outfits she'd occasionally shout down an amused comment, until finally she found what she was looking for. With a flourish she threw some flaring clothes down to Rory, watching as they floated and weaved until they were laid across his feet. "I'll be down in a sec," she called, disappearing into a mist of outfits.

With care he placed on a shirt, its scarlet silk comforting against his skin. As he pulled on the jacket he thought of the bizarre day he'd had. He'd never spoken to neither Martha nor this Doctor until this morning, and suddenly he was off travelling. Everyone would think he was mad if he ever mentioned this. Even the Judoon and the moon were being covered as a hoax. As he laced the buttons tight, he drew himself up from his crouched position, wandering towards the control room.

The Doctor was fixed on the screen as Rory entered the room. His fingers tracing its illegible writing in concentration. He glanced up only when Rory cleared his throat to signal his presence.

"You look nice," The Doctor complimented obligingly, before peering into the darkness behind him, "where's Martha?"

As he spoke she entered the room, slowly and stately, the grand clothes taking a toll on her character. Following the Doctor's stare Rory turned to face her, his eyes drawn into her slim waist accentuated by the golden edge corset.

"Very regal," Rory stuttered, recovering from his moment of silence. "I mean, you look very nice, I mean the dress is nice. The dress is nice," he repeated, gesturing hopelessly at her maroon gown.

"The colours suit you," was all the Doctor muttered, averting his eyes and motioning towards the door. "Shall we?"

Martha nodded, clutching at her skirts she followed them into the hectic street. "Are we safe? I mean can we move around and stuff?" she asked, glancing up at timber buildings and their vocal inhabitants. "What if I step on a butterfly and kill my grandfather?"

The Doctor spun round and cocked an eyebrow, "are you planning to?"

"No! But-"

"Well then," he smiled, amused, "there's nothing to worry about."

Martha smiled, falling back in line with Rory. Together they glanced around the street, nudging each other as they caught people's dramas. A man perched on a barrel lecturing anyone around him on the worlds pending extinction. A young child dodging the contents of pot being deposited from an upstairs window.

"Do you think I'll be alright?" Martha ran her hands along her figure, before gesturing towards the others in the street. "I mean I'm not exactly white, if you hadn't noticed. What it I carted off as a slave or something?"

"Well he's not even human, is he? And he's fine."

Pausing for a moment the Doctor dipped into their conversation, "Just walk about as if you own the place. It works for me. Anyway you'd be surprised. This place, it's not so different from your time. You've got recycling," he pointed to dishevelled man shovelling endless piles of manure into a heaving bucket. "A water cooler moment," he smirked, gesturing towards two men leaning in deep conversation over a large wooden barrel, "and of course entertainment. If I'm right, just over there," he began to scamper through the street; skidding to a halt in front of river he twirled to face a looming building.

"The Globe." Rory breathed, gazing up at the theatre. "That actual Globe. Do you think Shakespeare's in there?"

Hooking his arm around Martha's, the Doctor stepped forward, "Miss Jones, Mr Williams, would you care to company me to the theatre?"

"Why yes Mister Smith, I would," she wrapped her arm around Rory's, pulling him with them as they began to wander towards the Globe. The huge whitewashed building loomed in front and they drew to a halt at its crowded entrance. Together they weaved between the audience, making their way to the middle swarm. There they resided, watching the play until the actors eventually departed from the stage.

"That was amazing! Just fantastic!" Rory grinned breathless at Doctor, his hands raw from endless clapping. "Where's Shakespeare?"

Pulling herself up Martha peered across the crowd, "I want to see Shakespeare. AUTHOR, AUTHOR!" She glanced across at the Doctor, "do people shout that? Do they shout author? "

From further back in the crowd came the raucous cry of "author" and then again closer, and then beside her. Suddenly the whole audience were chanting. Laughing Martha turned to watch the crowd mimicking her call. Together Rory and the Doctor turned with her, "well they do now!" Rory looked up in amazement.

Striding onto the stage Shakespeare beamed across at the crowd. Spreading out his palms he paused taking in the rowdy audience. The Doctor watched on in anticipation. "He's a genius. The genius. The most human human there has ever been. Now we're going to hear him speak. And he always chooses the best words. New, beautiful, brilliant words. And we're going to hear him speak."

As the crowd roared Shakespeare motion for them to quieten with a flamboyant hand gesture, "ah shut your big fat mouths!" he grinned, waiting for the laughter to die down, "you've got excellent taste, I'll give you that."

Listening the Doctor raised his eyebrows in disappointment, and Martha let a giggle slip. "What's that they say? Never meet your heroes."

"Tomorrow night," Shakespeare continued, "the premiere of my brand new play. A sequel, no less, and I call it Loves Labour's Won." The audience cheered and the applause continued for a while before they began to file out. The whole theatre alive with talk of the new play.

A cool breeze made a nice change to the heat of the busy theatre and the group leaned against its clay walls, waiting for the crowd to die down. As they waited Rory turned to the Doctor, "I'm not exactly an expert, but I've never heard of Loves Labour's Won."

"Exactly. It's the lost play. It doesn't exist. Well, only in rumours. It's mentioned in lists of his plays but never turns up. No one knows why."

"We could tape it, flog it, make a mint when we get home," Martha laughed; staring into the sky she watched the stars with interest, only half paying attend to their conversation.

Glancing across at Martha Rory turned back to the Doctor, "how come it disappeared in the first place?" he asked with interest.

"Well," the Doctor pulled himself up and moved in front of the two, "I was only going to give you a quick little trip in the TARDIS, but I suppose we could a bit longer?" He nodded towards the direction Shakespeare had taken. "Let's go and talk to the Bard himself."

The room they entered was dark and damp. The only light a flickering candle perched beside a mound of curling paper. In the corner Shakespeare was crouched over a manuscript, writing furiously he barely looked up as they entered the room.

"Hello!" The Doctor strode over to the desk, leaning against the wall in an interested pose. "Excuse me, not interrupting, am I? Mr. Shakespeare, isn't it?"

Shakespeare glanced up, irritated, "oh no. Who let you in? No autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with me. And please, no, don't ask where I get my ideas from. Thanks for the interest, but I'm a busy man-" he began to write again, only looking up when Martha moved to his side.

"Um Mr. Shakespeare?"

"What?" He glimpsed up, pausing to take her in. "Oh," he breathed in anticipation, "hey nonny nonny. You sit right down here next to me." He patted the end of his bench and amused Martha perched beside him.

As Martha sat down the Doctor drew out his psychic paper, presenting it to Shakespeare with a polite smile, "I'm Sir Doctor of TARDIS and these are my companions, Miss Martha Jones and Mr Rory Williams," Hovering beside the Doctor, Rory raised his hand in a brief hello, and Shakespeare acknowledged him in a slight nod, before scrutinising the paper.

"Oh interesting. That bit of paper, it's blank."

"Oh," the Doctor's lips stretched into a huge grin and he thrust the paper at Rory, "that just proves it. Absolute genius!"

"But I can see," Rory pulled the psychic paper from the Doctor's fingertips, examining it in confusion. "It says so right there. Sir Doctor, Martha Jones and Rory Williams. I can see it,"

Shakespeare flicked another look at the paper, "I'd say it's blank."

"It's psychic paper. It's a long story, well-"

"Psychic?" Shakespeare repeated the word in amusement, "I've never heard that word before, and words are my trade. Who are you exactly?" He peered for a moment at the Doctor before returning his attention back to Martha. "More to the point, who is your delicious blackamoor lady?"

Martha's jaw dropped and behind her Rory spoke up in indignation, "what did you just say? What did you just call her?"

"Oh, isn't that the word we use nowadays?" Shakespeare asked his eyes still on Martha, "An Ethiop girl? A swarth? A Queen of Africa?"

"I can't believe I'm hearing this!" she laughed, catching Rory's eye in amusement, and he glanced in disgust at the Doctor who raised his palms in a shrug.

"Martha's from a far-off land. Freedonia. We all are actually."

"Freedonia? Sounds marvellous," Shakespeare curled her dark strands round his fingers as he spoke and she raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "You must tell me more about it." 

**So that's it for today, hope you enjoyed it. Please, please review it really does make me post for frequently and I love getting feedback. Hope you have a lovely rest of week. **


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